I’ve seen no mentions at all of a possibility of convicting GZ on any lesser charges. I’d think that if such a thing were possible, it would have been discussed in at least some of the trial coverage.
I read (elsewhere) that the prosecution had the liberty to press multiple charges - which is customary in these sorts of cases. But he didn’t, preferring to place all of his eggs (so to speak) in one basket. That leaves them no wriggle-room for anything except an up or down on the single charge.
Mind you I’m not an attorney and only passing along something I had read.
I have grave misgivings about this whole fiasco. Zimmerman should never have been charged (insufficient evidence of a crime), far too much judicial misconduct on the part of the Prosecutor and Judge for a fair trial, and then when they actually go to trial the prosecutions case is a joke.
It makes me suspicious of an ulterior motive AKA railroading.
IMO
If you get your "knowledge" from the press, you are misinformed, period.
The jury WILL be given a manslaughter instruction. It's mandatory under Fla. law. There are some what are called "permissive lesser included offenses," that MUST be presented to the jury, but ONLY IF the charging document includes the elements of the lesser included charge, and the trial has adduced evidence on those elements. Without going through the detailed analysis, I believe the only charges that the jury will have are Murder 2, and manslaughter.
No matter what the charge, if the state doesn't disprove justified use of deadly force, beyond a reasonable doubt, that finding trumps everything else. If Zimmerman has a smidgen of justification, no charge sticks.